Chung Bong-ju, a left-wing politician who gained his biggest fame recently by appearing on a popular podcast criticizing President Lee Myung-bak, on Monday evening turned himself in for a one-year prison sentence for spreading false rumors.

He did not go quietly.

Reuters

Chung Bong-ju leaves the Supreme Court last Thursday. He began serving a one-year prison sentence Monday.

“I won’t be intimidated and will fight for the truth and getting back the power,” Mr. Chung told a throng of reporters as he turned himself in.

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Mr. Chung was found guilty of spreading false rumors about an alleged stock fraud by Mr. Lee. He appealed his conviction and sentence but they were upheld by the Supreme Court last week.

Mr. Chung, 51 years old, has been one of four regulars on the podcast “Naneun Ggomsuda,” or “I am a Petty Creep” that became influential on the South Korean political scene earlier this year. He previously served in the National Assembly from the Democratic Party and had plans to run again for the parliament in April’s election.

The case against him began before the podcast, though Mr. Chung spoke of the alleged stock fraud on the first episode of the podcast last April.

As he turned himself in to authorities, Mr. Chung said the fraud case still represents “Pandora’s Box” for Mr. Lee.

But he also turned whimsically philosophical.

“If you’re crying, you will lose, if you’re smiling, you will win,” he said. “Today, we aren’t crying, so we all win.”